5. Controlled disposition guidance
Use the applicable Gate logic under its recorded authority to determine readiness. The states below follow Specification v1.13 Section 3.4. The disposition patterns support diagnosis; they do not independently grant permission for use.
| Proceed | All controls applicable to the Gate are Pass; controls that do not apply are recorded Not Applicable with reason. No failed control is being overridden for use. Use is permitted only within the recorded scope and while the readiness validity condition remains true. |
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| Caution | One or more conditions require explicit constraint, monitoring, remediation, or an approved constrained-use exception. Any failed control remains Fail. Use is permitted only within the recorded constraint, authority, and readiness validity condition. Caution never converts Fail into Pass. |
| Stop | A completed evaluation identifies a failed control, prohibition, missing authority, invalid context, contract violation, or other rule that prohibits stated use. Use is not permitted for the stated material decision scope. |
| Quarantined | Candidate evidence has not completed the required evaluation or is held pending review or remediation and is not ready for stated use. Evidence may be explored, reviewed, remediated, or routed through additional Gates but shall not be relied on for material decisions. |
Critical distinction
A control testing containment, testing, recording, or enforcement may Pass while another control remains Fail. Stop or Quarantined is not an automatic Fail for that handling control. A repeatable unresolved outcome is not permission for use. Full decision-scope conformance requires all applicable mandatory controls to Pass or be Not Applicable with reason; a permitted Caution exception does not establish it.
5.1 Reusable disposition patterns.
Each card uses a Disposition reference label to point to one of the D-01 through D-06 patterns below. The sentence that follows the reference explains why that pattern applies to that specific control. The reference does not change the control result and does not replace the Gate logic in the DACS Specification.
| D-01 Missing prerequisite | Apply the status stated in the control’s Prerequisites entry. A missing required Pass prevents dependent Pass; a Recorded result requirement may be met by an evidence-backed Fail or Not Applicable with reason. Block material use unless the applicable Gate explicitly permits it under valid authority. Diagnosis and containment may continue. |
|---|---|
| D-02 Unresolved governed evidence | Keep unresolved evidence out of material reliance. Use the applicable Gate to establish Quarantined for held candidates or Stop where a completed finding prohibits use. Caution requires valid authority for the exact bounded use; it does not close the failed finding. |
| D-03 Ungoverned candidate evidence | Hold candidate evidence as Quarantined until Gate evidence permits its stated use. Any authorized constrained use follows Caution and its valid exception bounds. Correct containment may satisfy a handling control without promoting the candidate or changing other failed results. |
| D-04 Change or reassessment | Reassess affected active or prospective reliance when a material change or validity trigger requires it. Invalidate or suspend prior permission for new reliance as defined. Preserve historical determinations and create linked replacement evaluations. |
| D-05 Threshold, constraint, or conflict | Apply the Gate to the recorded failed threshold, ignored constraint, or unresolved conflict. Caution permits only a valid bounded exception granted by competent authority. An exception cannot invent legal or policy authority or convert the underlying failed result to Pass. |
| D-06 Determinacy or repeatability | Test unchanged inputs, rules, thresholds where used, versions, and scope. Different outcomes under unchanged conditions Fail. The same governed unresolved or exception outcome may satisfy repeatability while material reliance remains withheld under the applicable Gate. |